The invention relates to a system which is driven by an electric motor drive mechanism for controlling the position of a side window, roof panel, seat and mirrors, and also for detecting any abnormality thereof.
In certain vehicles, devices such as a side window including windows located on the opposite sides of a driver's seat and windows located on the opposite sides of a rear seat, a sun roof or roof panel, a seat and mirrors, which are disposed either internally or externally of the vehicle are electrically driven. An electric drive mechanism is provided including a motor associated with a control circuit which may be located in response to a switch operatio to energize the motor for rotation in either forward or reverse direction. An occupant of the vehicle must control the time over which the switch remains operated while monitoring the condition of each device. In particular, where a device is to be driven through a very small stroke, it is difficult to operate the switch for a precisely controlled time interval, while where a device is to be driven through an increased stroke, a driver of the vehicle cannot be freed from the switch, presenting a difficulty in driving the vehicle.
To accommodate for this, there is proposed an arrangement, including a separate switch having a limited energization time interval, and another arrangement including a self-holding circuit associated with the control circuit for the motor. In this manner, the switch having a limited energization time may be operated where a particular device is to be driven throgh a small stroke while when another device is to be driven through an increased stroke, a switch which activates the self-holding circuit may be operated.
A system for driving vehicle mounted devices which includes a motor drive mechanism is usually turned on or off by an ignition key switch. Accordingly, when the ignition key is withdrawn, these devices can no longer be driven. For example, when parking a vehicle, a driver or occupant may withdraw the ignition key, get out of the vehicle, and lock the door. He may then become aware of the fact that he has forgotten to close either a side window or the sun roof. In this instance, he must unlock the door, insert the ignition key to enable a required switch operation in order to close the side window or sun roof which may have been left open and then withdraw the ignition key, get out of the vehicle and again lock the door. It will be seen that any mistake in performing such procedure of operations results in a significant reduction convenience. It is also possible that the driver may have left the vehicle while being unaware of having forgotten or close the side window or sun roof. Accordingly, the vehicle may be subject to weather or theft.
To overcome such inconveniences, Japanese Patent Publication No. 22,763/1982 discloses an electrically driven sun roof including means for detecting the open or closed condition of a sun roof. Further means are provided for detecting whether an engine key is in a position to close the sun roof when it is determined that the sun roof is open. Also, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 36,119/1980 discloses a window power drive system in which switch means closes when an engine key is in the off position and another switch means which closes when the door is locked are connected in series with a supply line connected to a motor of the mechanism. In the former, if the sun roof is open when the engine key is withdrawn, the sun roof can be automatically closed, thus positively preventing a failure of closing the sun roof. In the latter, if there is a window which remains open when the driver has withdrawn the engine key, got out of the vehicle and locked the door this window can be automatically closed.
Considering a mechanism which is used in a side window or sun roof, it will be seen that such mechanism generally comprises a transmission mechanism including gears and wires or the like for connection with the motor. Thus, the side window or sun roof can be opened by tampering with the mechanism. When a hand is put through an opening that is tampered, a knob for a door lock which is located within the vehicle is accessible. Accordingly, either the vehicle or goods disposed within the vehicle may be subject to theft.
To prevent such casualty, there is proposed an anti-theft apparatus which issues an alarm whenever a door lock knob disposed within a vehicle is operated before a door is opened or which issues an alarm in response to the detection of an oscillation of the vehicle or a change in the electrical potential of the body. With such approach, oscillations which are produced when an electrically driven device such as side window or sun roof is tampered with, can trigger an alarm, and also a knob operation for a door lock located within the vehicle also triggers an alarm, preventing such casualty.
Each of the arrangements described above is effective to solve a particular problem for which it is intended. However, it must be noted that problems relating to an electrically driven device are compounded. For example, considering a side window, it usually requires a first switch which limits the duration of energization of a motor, a normal on/off switch and a self-holding switch. If the vehicle has four doors, the number of parts increases in a corresponding manner.
It will be seen that a side window or sun roof may be left slightly open in order to prevent an excessive temperature rise within the vehicle when the vehicle is parked outdoors on a hot summer day. With the prior art arrangements as mentioned above, such side window or sun roof will be closed independently from the intent of the driver, based on the recognition that such element has been mistakenly left open. Accordingly, to prevent such inconvenience, there must be provided separate switch means which prevents a failure-to-close preventing apparatus from operating. On the contrary, if such separate switch means is left activated, the failure-to-close preventing apparatus is prevented from operating. In the event a failure actually occurs to close if the side window or sun roof is left slightly open in order to prevent an excessive temperature rise within the vehicle, a thin instrument, hand or finger may be inserted through the slight clearance to tamper with the side window or sun roof.
To summarize, if it is attempted to improve the operation of vehicle mounted devices such as the side window or sun roof, to prevent the failure to close and to prevent the tampering operation with the prior art approach, it is necessary to include every means described above in combination and to add any wanting capability, resulting in an enormous increase in the number of parts to cause an increase in the cost and a degradation in the reliability. Such combination added with wanting capability is still incapable of solving the fundamental problem such as the failure to close a side window due to an improper operation of switch means which disables the failure-to-close preventing apparatus.